The Mentawai Islands

Let's Surfing, Diving, Fishing!
Padang is centrally located on the western coast of Sumatra and is relatively undiscovered as a dive destination. A group of small islands with a variety of different dive sites with Indian Ocean visibility and marine life lie just off Padang. These include Sikuai, Pasumpahan, Sironjong, Sirandah, Pagang, Bintangur and Marak. There is also the attractive hull of the Kapal Wreck, which promises good bottom times from its shallow position.Further off the coast are the larger Mentawai Islands - renowned among surfers, but still relatively unexplored by divers.

The Mentawai Islands are amongst the most beautiful in the world with white beaches, dazzling coral and picture perfect palm trees.These unique tropical islands are situated approximately 150km west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. They sit on the edge of a continental shelf where deep water surges up onto the beautiful coral reefs that surround and protect them.There are four main islands making up the chain including Siberut, Sipura and North & South Pagai. These four main islands are surrounded by many smaller ones.The position of these islands attract large swells that have travelled thousands of miles, making them surge and wrap around the islands creating some of the best waves on the globe.

Sumatra Travel Guide

Sumatra Travel Guide
However fevered your dreams of the jungle, Sumatra will surpass them.
Sumatra is as rugged as it gets. Thick rainforests cascade like water down towering peaks. Jungle treks are a struggle with gravity and mud. But rewards are plentiful: the world's largest flower, one of the last remaining enclaves of orang-utans, or the sulfur-spouting crater of a resting volcano.

Sumatra is rich in natural resources (timber, gas and oil), but very little of the profits are reinvested in the island's economy. The Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and earthquake in 2005 levelled large parts of Aceh and Nias, respectively, and rebuilding infrastructure and livelihoods is slow going.
















Fast FactsPopulation 40,000,000
Currency Name: Rupiah Code: IDR Symbol: Rp
Electrical Plugs 127/230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken Official: Indonesian
Time Zones GMT/UTC +7
Country Dialing Code +62
Weights & MeasuresMetric

Singapura Travel Guide

Singapura Travel Guide

Singapore is an island city located at the southernmost tip of the Malaysian Peninsula in South East Asia. It is well-known for being one of the richest, most well organised, efficient countries in the world, with a very high standard of living and an excellent skyline by the water. Singapore is an island with "1,000 shopping malls" or so they say.

Despite the hot climate, it is a tropical paradise for most tourists. This great diversity of lifestyles, cultures, and religions thrives within the framework of a regulated society. Singapore's "FINE" city reputation is well-earned, and in fact, many will admire at once the clean, modern metropolis.

Surrounded by artificially 'ordered' parks, its tall housing projects are populated by more than 80% of the population -- whose smiling native charms often belie underlying tensions about the way the island is progressing after 30 years of development.

Highlights of Singapore include some of the ethnic parts of town: Arab Street, Chinatown, Colonial District, Orchard Road and Little India.

South of Singapore are a few beautiful islands that are well worth visiting. The most visited is Sentosa island. It is a playground for people of all ages. See the Sentosa island section for more information.

Panama Travel Guide

Panama Travel Guide

It was Juan de Balboa who became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean in 1513. And it was the thin stretch of land we know as Panama that he crossed to reach it. Panama's geographic location and shape have been strategic elements in its development as a nation: its narrowness prompted the U.S. to build the Panama Canal, allowing passage between the Caribbean and Pacific.

Today, the Canal is Panama's best-known attraction, though the land has much more to offer. Few, for example, are aware of its fifteen hundred islands; nor of the lovely alpine town of Boquete, near Volcán Barú. And with its thriving modern capital, Panama City, only a stone's throw away from the ancient ruins at Panamá Viejo, Panama promises visitors a wonderfully varied travel experience.

Chile Travel Guide

Chile Travel Guide

Chile is a land of extraordinary beauty and diversity, weaving along much of the Pacific coast of South America. Santiago, the Chilean capital, is set against the stunning backdrop of the Andes.

Chile also lays claim to one of the southernmost towns on earth, Punta Arenas. And, if that is not enough, it also is a host of the driest places on earth, where no rain has fallen for years in a row. These can be found in the upper north in the Atacama desert. Even larger coastal places like Arica and Iquique see very little rain, due to the cold Humboldt current.

In between these two extremes is a land with beautiful lakes and forests, volcanoes, beaches, glaciers, fjords and some fine colonial buildings in pleasant cities and towns. It is a perfect country for both relaxing as doing some serious activities like skiing, climbing and hiking.

Add to this a range of animals which you don't find anywhere else and one of the best places on earth to watch the stars in the sky, and you will understand why this country sees more and more visitors every year, especially after the dictactorial period of Pinochet had ended.

It is one of the safest countries in Latin America and has one of the best infrastructures, which of course considering the length of 5500 kilometers is not a bad thing.

Egypt Travel Guide

Egypt Travel Guide
Egypt does not need an introduction. It was the introduction to human civilization itself, and has all the evidence to show for it.

Tour Egypt from the live Nile Valley , to the solitary deserts, to the diversity of the Sinai desert , to the lush oases, to the exotic underwater life of the Red Sea , to the Mediterranean beaches. "Now, let me talk more of Egypt for it has a lot of admirable things and what one sees there is superior to any other country." - Herodotus, 50 BCE

"...In Egypt all the operations of the powers which rule and work in heaven have been transferred to earth below...It should rather be said that the whole cosmos dwells in [Egypt] as in its sanctuary..."
"There will come a time when ... the gods will return from earth to heaven; Egypt will be forsaken, and the land which was once the home of religion will be left desolate, bereft of the presence of its deities."

- Ascleptus III (25 BCE), Hermetic Texts, zeeshan avais moustapha

Even though much of what Herodotus witnessed has been ruined by the cruelty of later generations, his statement is still valid to this day. Today's Egyptians have abandoned their ancient heritage for a mostly Moslem Arabic-speaking nation. Happily, they have maintained their friendly, hospitable, and warm characteristics.

Cairot , the capital is the place to start. It has the Pyramids, the Sphinxs, the Egyptian Museum, many more sights and more than ten million cairenes to share the experience. Alexandria , the two hundreth city of the country has its fare share of historic sights as well and with its location on the Mediterranean it is an ideal spot for your holidays.

Kenya Travel Guide

Kenya
There are many different landscape and cultures, all quite different and beautiful. There is the desert of the north, and The Rift Valley where evidence of protohumans was first found. There are many brilliant Lakes , including Lake Victoria in western Kenya, Lake Naivasha and many more. Kenya has the second highest peak in Africa, the great Mt. Kenya . It has twenty National Parks and Reserves packed full of the exlusive “Big Five” (Elephant, Leopard, Lion, Cape Buffalo, and Rhinoceros).

Of course, there is also The Coast , very picturesque, with white sands, emerald water, and the Swahili culture, a unique mix of Arabic and Bantu influences. Compound the incredible scenery and limitless travel options with friendly and welcoming people, and visiting Kenya becomes a great vacation. while in coast visit the garden of eden :maweni beach cottages in tiwi. Lovely naturalland scapes with self catering cottages. Fresh sea food to your doorstep every morning by the local fishermen. Cottages with a lovely seaview. No tv, radios are allowed just the noise of the waves breaking and early morning birds. Real paradise. No wonder advance bookings required. maweni beach cottages.


The northwestern region of this country, the Turkana District, is a vast, desolate, hot, arid landscape where goatherders and bandits coexist. Lodwar, comparable to the "Dodge City" of the early American West, has the basic necessities of life, including Internet kiosks and semi-reliable electricity. Lokichoggio, the outpost in the northeasternmost sector of this county, is home to UN refugee camps with 30,000+ people. Roads are extremely rough, the terrain unforgiving, and people always inquisitive about what brings you to their country.